Retirement Watch Weekly
Surprising Tax Havens
State tax laws discriminate based on age, and that can be a good thing for some taxpayers. Even notoriously high tax states can be tax havens for retirees. In fact, Florida and other retiree magnets might not be the tax havens they are promoted as when the full tax picture is considered. Florida has no […]
The Safe, Profitable Way to Invest in Hedge Funds
Hedge funds continue to make the headlines, largely because of funds that did not hedge anything. As many investors are finding out, these days “hedge fund” is a generic term that identifies any investment vehicle not subject to SEC regulations. Traditionally a hedge fund purchased investments the managers liked and sold short those that appeared […]
The Revolution in Continuing Care Retirement Communities
There is a bit of a revolution taking place in continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs). The revolution will make it easier for people to enter the community of their choice, but it also is making some decisions more difficult. A continuing care retirement community offers the full range of senior living options on one campus […]
Why Life Insurance is An Important Tool in Estate Planning
After the 2001 tax law began a phaseout of the estate tax, many people concluded there was no longer a reason for life insurance and insurance trusts to be considered as part of an estate plan. Yet, there always were reasons to consider life insurance in plans, and there might be new reasons in the […]
Why You Must Plan Now to Escape Alternative Minimum Tax
More taxpayers than ever are paying the alternative minimum tax (AMT). If Congress does not act by the end of 2007, an estimated 25 million households will pay the AMT for 2007. Many of my readers are among those most likely to be snared in the AMT. Originally targeted at the very wealthy, the AMT […]
September 2007
September 21, 2007 1:45 p.m. Today’s Confusing Markets Already Explained Investors and analysts have been confused by many of the market developments of the last couple of years. They are easily explained, and the explanations are in my recent book, Invest Like a Fox…Not Like a Hedgehog. Conventional economic theory misses a few critical elements […]
Easy Ways to Save Money
My 1990 Honda Accord still is cruising toward 200,000 miles. I enjoy the tones of respect it gets from mechanics on those rare occasions when it needs work done. Even more, I like the cost savings. Owning a car for a long time not only avoids interest and principal payments but also holds down insurance […]
Estate Planning Strategy to Help the Grandkids Buy a Home: Gifts, Loans, or Rentals?
Home prices are down, and inventories of unsold homes are high in many areas. That makes this an ideal time to buy a home, or to help a grandchild buy that first home or move up to a larger home. Despite the decline in prices, buying a home still is a struggle for many young […]
